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Apple iPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025)Gold
Apple · Released March 1, 2025

iPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025)

The M3 iPad Air 11 earned some of the best reviews of any iPad, but Apple now sells only the M4 model.

Tablets
9.1/10What the pros sayOutstandingExpert consensus · Verified Oct 8, 2026See score breakdown ↓
Storage
Finish · Gold
Buying call

Buy the 11-inch iPad Air (M3) only at a clear discount to the M4 Air, which Apple lists at $749 (Oct 8, 2026); Apple stopped selling the M3 model new in March 2026. It's still a fast, well-built iPad: it lasted 9 h 41 min in a web-browsing battery test, supports the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, and runs Apple Intelligence. Skip it if you want a better screen, because the 11-inch LCD is 60Hz and loses to the iPad Pro on contrast. The M4 Air adds little beyond speed, so a cheap M3 is the smarter buy.

Full verdict ↓
Lowest new price · 128 GBCheck current priceat eBay · 2 retailers
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Editor testedHands-on testing and real-world use
Real-world useBased on everyday testing, not a spec sheet
Unbiased reviewIndependent and objective, sources shown
iPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025)Check current priceBuy on eBay
Key specs
Display type
Liquid Retina display
Rear camera
1) Standard: 12 MP; f/1.8; - Bokeh mode
Highlights

Specs that matter

Display
Panel
IPS LCD
Size
11" (279 mm)
Resolution
1640x2360
Performance
Processor
Apple M3 (iPad)
GPU
Apple GPU 9-core
Storage
128 GB
OS
iPadOS 18.3 (Can be upgraded to iPadOS 26.5)
Battery
Capacity
7606 mAh
Body
Weight
1.01 lb (460 g)
Dimensions
247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm
IP rating
No
Colors
Gold, Gray, Blue, Purple
At a glance

Product highlights

Verified attributes, grouped for quick scanning.

Display11" (279 mm)IPS LCD
ChipsetApple M3 (iPad)Apple GPU 9-core
Main camera12 MP12 MP · f/1.8 · wide
RAM / storage128 GBiPadOS 18.3 (Can be upgraded to iPadOS 26.5)
Battery7,606 mAh7606 mAh
70 attributes · See all specifications
Price & availability

Where to buy

Prices from trusted US retailers, updated daily.

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2 price points tracked.
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Available in 128 GB.
Buying decision

Should you buy it?

Buy the 11-inch iPad Air (M3) only at a clear discount to the M4 Air, which Apple lists at $749 (Oct 8, 2026); Apple stopped selling the M3 model new in March 2026. It's still a fast, well-built iPad: it lasted 9 h 41 min in a web-browsing battery test, supports the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, and runs Apple Intelligence. Skip it if you want a better screen, because the 11-inch LCD is 60Hz and loses to the iPad Pro on contrast. The M4 Air adds little beyond speed, so a cheap M3 is the smarter buy.

Best for

Bargain hunters who find an M3 Air well below the M4 model and want Pencil Pro support.

Not for

Anyone who wants OLED or 120Hz, or who would pay near-new prices for last year's Air.

Main strengthThin, light design with fast M3 performance
Main weaknessApple no longer sells it new (Oct 8, 2026)
Reasons to buy
Thin, light design with fast M3 performance
Lasted 9 h 41 min in a web-browsing battery test
Supports Apple Intelligence, the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard
Sharp, colorful display with strong speakers for its size
Reasons to avoid
Apple no longer sells it new (Oct 8, 2026)
60Hz LCD, beaten on contrast by the iPad Pro
Small upgrade over the M2 model, and accessories are pricey
Measured view9.1/10What the pros say · verified oct 8, 2026.
ScoreVerified Oct 8, 2026
Independent coverage

What other reviewers say

Reviews from other sites and creators. They don't change the Gadget Clash score.

Submit your review
PCMag4/5
Article · Full reviewApple iPad Air (M3, 2025) ReviewEric Zeman · Mar 2025Read on PCMag ↗
CNET8.5/10
Article · Full reviewiPad Air M3 Review: Once Again, the Pro iPad for MostScott Stein · Mar 2025Read on CNET ↗
Tom's Guide4.5/5
Article · Full reviewApple iPad Air M3 review: The sweet spot just got even sweeterTony Polanco · Mar 2025Read on Tom's Guide ↗
6 Months LaterM3 iPad Air Review - 6 Months LaterWatch on YouTube ↗
Jon RettingerAfter 15 Years, Apple delivers! iPad Air M3Watch on YouTube ↗
Brad ColbowM3 iPad Air Review - 2025Watch on YouTube ↗
Head to head

How it stacks up

Open a comparison for the full side-by-side view.

Choose a gadget
Apple iPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025)
This deviceiPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025)
VS
iPad Air 11-inch (M3)
AlternativeiPad Air 11-inch (M3)
Display
11"11"
Chipset
M3 (iPad)M3
Full comparison
Apple iPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025)
This deviceiPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025)
VS
iPad Air 11-inch (M4)
AlternativeiPad Air 11-inch (M4)
Display
11"11"
Chipset
M3 (iPad)M4
Full comparison
Apple iPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025)
This deviceiPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025)
VS
iPad Air 11-inch (M2)
AlternativeiPad Air 11-inch (M2)
Display
11"11"
Chipset
M3 (iPad)M2
Full comparison
Same category

Alternatives worth a look

Other phones in the database, with their stored scores and prices.

All tablets →
iPad Air 11-inch (M4)—
AppleiPad Air 11-inch (M4)11" (279 mm) · M4 · 12 GB
iPad Air 11-inch (M3)9.3
AppleiPad Air 11-inch (M3)11" (279 mm) · M3
iPad Air 11-inch (M2)8.9
AppleiPad Air 11-inch (M2)11" (279 mm) · M2
iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)8.7
AppleiPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)11" (279 mm) · M2
Product data

Full specifications

70 attributes, grouped for quick scanning. Verified Oct 8, 2026. Spot a wrong value? Hit the next to it.

Display

Display type
  • Liquid Retina display
  • True Tone
  • Wide color (P3)
  • Fully laminated
  • Antireflective coating
Pixel density
264
Screen-to-body
81.5%
Protection
Tempered glass
Brightness
500 nits brightness
Contrast
1016:1
Color gamut
99.6%

Performance

CPU
8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores

Battery & Charging

Charging
Charging via power adapter or USB-C to computer system
Wireless charging
✕
Removable battery
✕
Charging port
USB-C (Charging, DisplayPort, USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s))

Camera

Rear camera
1) Standard: 12 MP; f/1.8; - Bokeh mode
Front camera
Landscape 12MP Center Stage camera, f/2.0
Video
Features
8K: No · 4K: Up to 60FPS · 1080p: Up to 60FPS

Network

Cellular
5G (sub-6 GHz), Gigabit LTE (Wi-Fi + Cellular models)
SIM
eSIM

Connectivity

Wi‑Fi
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Bluetooth
5.3
NFC
✕
Headphone jack
✕
Ports
  • USB Type-C
  • - Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG

Sensors & Security

Sensors
- Barometer - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Fingerprint
Biometrics
Fingerprint scanner: Yes, in-button
Infrared
✕

Body

Dimensions
9.75 in (24.8 cm)
Colors
  • Gold
  • Gray
  • Blue
  • Purple
Build
Metal
Water resistance
No
Speakers
Landscape stereo speakers

Software & Launch

Operating system
iPadOS 18.3 (Can be upgraded to iPadOS 26.5)
Released
March 2025
Stylus
Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C)

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6 Multi
11795
Geekbench 6 Single
3113
Vote & discuss

Community says

No reader votes on the iPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025) yet. Votes happen on head-to-heads: pick a matchup and say which one you would buy.

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Apple iPad Air 11" (7th Gen, 2025) Specs | Gadget Clash